Born from witness. Built for repair.
The Balcony Foundation was founded in Memphis in 2026 to convert historic witness into present-day service, leadership and institution-building.
Our Identity
More than a name.
The Foundation’s name is rooted in the sacred and sobering witness of the Reverend Samuel “Billy” Kyles, Monumental Baptist Church’s first pastor, who stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968, when the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed.
That moment revealed two moral actions: people pointed toward the apparent source of harm, and people rendered aid to the wounded. The Foundation carries that posture into civic, cultural, health and spiritual life—seeing clearly, naming truthfully, aiding compassionately, building enduring structures of repair and preserving memory.
We turn witness into wisdom, wisdom into action, and action into institutions that last.
Mission
Strengthening communities across generations.
To strengthen communities by cultivating leaders, preserving heritage, advancing health and wellness, and grounding transformation in faith—so individuals, families and communities may flourish across generations.
Vision
A Memphis where wisdom, wellness and memory converge.
We envision a city where spiritual wisdom, physical wellness and historical awareness converge—and where every person can be restored, educated and inspired to see life from a higher vantage.
Executive Leadership
Myke J. Collins, Jr.
Founder & Executive Director
Myke J. Collins, Jr. brings more than three decades of leadership across education, ministry, civic service and organizational development to The Balcony Foundation. His work is grounded in a clear conviction: leadership is most consequential when it strengthens people, preserves memory and builds institutions capable of serving generations.
Collins serves as Pastor of Monumental Baptist Church–Memphis, the faith-grounded parent institution and mission partner of The Balcony Foundation. His ministry follows a distinguished career of more than 27 years in public education, where he served as a principal, district executive and leadership-development director. He has developed and supported more than 800 leaders and led work spanning academic strategy, executive leadership, equity and organizational improvement.
He holds a Master of Education degree from Christian Brothers University and serves on the Board of Trustees of LeMoyne-Owen College, where he chairs the Academics and Student Affairs Committee. Through Collins Collective Ventures and his broader civic service, he continues to coach leaders, advise institutions and build partnerships that turn vision into durable community impact.
As Executive Director, Collins provides strategic leadership across the Foundation’s four pillars—Leadership Development, Heritage Preservation, Health and Wellness, and Faith Formation—while guiding the development of the Samuel Billy Kyles Center for Hope, Health and Heritage and the Foundation’s growing portfolio of public programs and partnerships.
“The Balcony is not distance from the community. It is perspective for the sake of service.”
Institutional Relationships
Clear identity. Shared purpose.
- The Balcony Foundation convenes, stewards, partners and builds institutions around its four pillars.
- Monumental Baptist Church–Memphis is the Foundation’s faith-grounded parent institution and mission partner.
- The Samuel Billy Kyles Center is the planned flagship hub where history will be translated into practical service.
- Future clinical services will be operated by qualified healthcare institutions, not directly by the Foundation.